William wagnee



(No Model.)

W. WAGNER.

lTARGLT BALL.

No. 244,005. Patented July 5, 1881.

N. harms. Pham-umgnpmf. wningm". n. n

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM WAGNER, OF VASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO OSCAR M. BALL, OF SAME PLACE.

TARGET-BALL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 244,005, dated July 5, 1881. Application filed May 23, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM WAGNER, a resident of the city of Washington, District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Target-Balls, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which illustrates a target-ball embodying my improvement.

As is well known, in practice marksmen use glass balls as targets. These ba1ls,bein gthrown in the air by suitable means and being fragile, are shattered by the impact of the4 shot from the marksmans gun. It sometimes occurs that the distance from the marksman at which the ball is hit, or the slight number of shot striking the ball at such distance, renders it impossible to see and positively know that the ball has been hit at all, much less to know that it has been completely destroyed.

The object of my invention is to produce a target-ball which will readily and unmistakably disclose whether or not it has been struck either by a suicient quantity of the charge to completely destroyit or by even asin gle shot of the charge, and this at any distance within ran ge of vision. This objecthas been essayed by llin g ordin ary glass target-balls with feathers. I have found by experience that such filling, though having certain advantages over an unlled ball, lacks certain other important advantages which attend the use of my improve- Inent. A

For a better understanding of my invention, I proceed to more particularly describe it.

A represents an ordinary glass ball (target) in section. rIhe ordinary glass target-ball, having a neck suitable to receive and retain a cork or any suitable closing device, as paste or cement, may be used; or one having simply an opening, D, as shown, may be employed, in conjunction with a cover or patch, C, hermetically'attached to and closing said opening of the ball; or said opening may be closed by fusing and uniting the glass of which the ball itself is made. Within the ball Iplace dry powdered charcoal, which is admirably adapted to the ends in view. Into the ball A,

I, through the opening D, place a sufficient quantity-a teaspoonful, more or lessof such 5o powder, (represented by 13,) and then hermetically seal the opening by a cork, as heretofore mentioned, or by a patch, C. Said patch may be cloth, leather, paper, or any other Wellknown fabric, and itmay preferablybe secured, 5 5 by any suitable cement, paste, or gum, to the outer or inner surface of the ball and over the opening D.

I do not limit myself to the quantity of powdered substance put into each ball, only pre- 6o ferring in practice to have a body of confined air within the hermetically-sealed ball with the powder, though it may be completely filled with said powdered substance.

The operation of myimproved ball in use is as follows: It is projected into the air by the usual means, and upon bein gfractured the powder falls in the form of a cloud, and when only punctured by a single shot the powder is, by the displacement of air by the entrance of the 7o shot into the ball, forced or puffed out through the puncture, and in a cloud or dust like form, thus unmistakably disclosing the fact that the ball has been hit.

I am aware that a ball has been known containing ilour for the same purpose; but I consider iiour objectionable, because it makes a white cloud andis adhesive when moist. After many experiments I have found that charcoal is free from these objections and best adapted 8o for this purpose, and to such I confine myself.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

A glass target-ball containing a quantity of 8 5 powdered charcoal and having a single opening, which is hermetically sealed after the ball is charged, substantially as set forth.

WILLIAM WAGNER.

Witnesses:

O. M. BALL, F. A. CAsE. 

